The diner was crowded and noisy. Ruby was behind the counter and unable to help – Granny was nowhere to be seen. All around her were burly, grumpy-looking men, none of whom seemed capable of looking after kids. She needed to get Alexandra's bottle out, and in order to do that, she needed to put Alex down.
And Alex, bless her soul, was trying to out-shout whoever's car alarm was blaring outside.
"Shh, baby," said Ashley frantically, trying to be soothing as she scrabbled to get the diaper bag open. Alex wailed, only growing louder; the strap of the oversized bag started to fall off Ashley's shoulder. "Shush, baby!" she said again, a little more hysterically. "Be good -"
"I'll take her," said a soft voice to her right as Ashley fumbled with her baby bag. She jumped and felt someone lifting the baby out of her arms. She was too embarrassed, too on-edge from so many sleepless nights to feel anything other than relief.
With two hands free, she turned back to the bag and successfully worked the zipper, searching for a bottle inside. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the blur of black that was holding her child – Alex had stopped crying completely now and the man was murmuring to her, so all seemed well.
Ashley's hands closed around the bottle and, with a triumphant little grin, she turned back to the unknown helper.
She froze.
Just two feet from her, Mr. Gold – the man who'd terrorized her, who'd tried to steal her baby, the man she'd knocked out so she could change her life – rocked Alex in his arms and cooed at her, voice low and sweet and almost singing. His eyes were soft and in the light, seemed bright and wet; a slight but ultimately genuine smile curved around his lips.
Ashley's mouth fell open in horror.
"Thank you!" she said shrilly and not very kindly, yanking Alex away. Mr. Gold had the gall to look surprised, like he'd forgotten she was there, and Alex had the gall to start screaming once again – in the arms of her rightful mother, no less!
For a moment, Mr. Gold seemed a little awkward, almost disappointed, like he didn't know what to do with his hands now and mostly wanted to take the baby back. Ashley turned away from him, bouncing Alex fruitlessly in her arms and trying not to let him ruin her image of him as scary and hateful.
When she turned back, Mr. Gold had the bottle.
"Oh, this is shameful," he muttered, so quiet she thought he might be speaking to himself. "This isn't even warm."
Ashley's face fell instantly into a scowl and she tried to snatch the bottle from him, but with Alex cradled against her, all movement was a little limited. He cocked an eyebrow at her and sauntered away.
Ashley gritted her teeth.
I'll just leave it, she decided, trying to zip the baby bag up on-handed. Alex can eat at home.
Vaguely, she heard Mr. Gold demand use of Granny's stovetop.
She heard Granny ask why, and with a snort, she imagined Mr. Gold – scourge of Storybrooke – holding up the bottle as explanation.
Vaguely, she heard Granny say, "Again?"
And that was when Ashley gathered up her things – the open bag spilling diapers and extra clothes across the floor – and left. Because whether the man was great with kids or not, whether he had the magic makes-babies-stop-wailing touch or not, he was NOT going to make her sit and watch while he fed her kid.
Though Alex didn't seem opposed to the idea.
Little traitor.